Cute.

More: Here's the offense line-up, according to Eric Cartman:

Thanks to Techie for alerting me to the fact there was a bit more.

Posted by: Ace at 08:50 AM | Comments (7)
Post contains 30 words, total size 1 kb.

So you've got a tiny "electric motor-powered micro air vehicle (MAV)" which you want to use for extended spy missions, but its one-meter frame doesn't give you much in the way of batteries. What do you do?

Steal electricity from powerlines.

[Air Force Research Lab]'s initial aim is to work out how to make a MAV flying at 74 kilometres per hour latch onto a power line without destroying itself or the line.

In addition, so as not to arouse suspicion, AFRL says the spy plane will need to collapse its wings and hang limply on the cable like a piece of wind-blown detritus. Much of the "morphing" technology to perform this has already been developed by DARPA, the Pentagon's research division.

Test flights are planned for 2008.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 08:31 AM | Comments (12)
Post contains 135 words, total size 1 kb.

I thought this was a parody of the FutureWeapons show about the cornershot gun.

It seems it's not. Or it's a deadpan April Fools segment. I really don't know for sure.

I know what I'm getting LauraW for Christmas.

Posted by: Ace at 08:23 AM | Comments (82)
Post contains 45 words, total size 1 kb.

In the category "Oversensitive Sissy-Pantses": Mental Health Charity Sparks Outrage With Spoof Christmas Carols. Patients and staff at the Cromwell House mental health facility put together a quarterly magazine cleverly called "Marooned." The most recent issue contained this list:

Of course, somebody had to get all offended and demand that the magazine be recalled and pulped. She says that the funny carols "belittle" mental patients. This is in the UK, so of course the mental health facility immediately caved. "In the civilised world, you see, we take great pains not to offend anyone. Etc. etc."

I think the folks at the crazy-place deserve props for some hilarious song names and for titling their list "Other Non-PC Tunes." How obvious could they get that this was a joke? On the other hand, they clearly anticipated that the Political Correctness Police would be on their case.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 12:08 AM | Comments (26)
Post contains 150 words, total size 1 kb.

I was at the New York Times' site hoping to find a hint of the forthcoming article on John McCain when I came across this "Checkpoint" graphic that seems to come partially to his defense in the matter of the suspect shifting of travel expenses while he was mayor.

I encourage you to take a look (I can't excerpt the text because it's an image). The Times' conclusion is that, yes, Giuliani's office charged travel expenses to unrelated city agencies, but only $2,474 of the $281,338 were for trips to the Hamptons to see his then-girlfriend and present wife, Judith Nathan Giuliani.

This is a major switch from the prevailing narrative, which has always led with the idea that Giuliani was trying to hide his affair through clever billing. The Times doesn't speculate on why Giuliani's security costs were charged this way, however, it does repeat that the Giuliani people still maintain that this was just a reasonable accounting scheme.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 11:47 PM | Comments (6)
Post contains 168 words, total size 1 kb.

This is apparently two days old, but I'm just hearing about it now. Three Duke lacrosse players, but not the three who were unjustly indicted, have filed a 398-page civil action against Mike Nifong, police investigators, the DNA lab, city officials, and nurses who examined the false accuser.

The plaintiffs, who allege negligence, fraud and conspiracy, accuse Nifong of pursuing the criminal charges for political gain amid a closely contested Democratic primary.

"This case is a reckoning; it is an accounting of those who were willing to obstruct and pervert justice to serve their own selfish aims, those who had the power to intervene and did not, and the damage they have done," the lawsuit reads.

The players, Ryan McFadyen, Matthew Wilson and Breck Archer, were ordered to give DNA samples and be photographed as part of the investigation. McFadyen was then suspended when he wrote a jesting email that was tasteless and tactless.

They are asking for compensatory and punitive damages for 35 separate causes of action, including § 1983 violations, negligence, conspiracy, fraud, obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

At least two other suits arising from the Duke non-rape case are pending: the indicted players' civil suit against Mike Nifong and Coach Mike Pressler's against the university.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 11:23 PM | Comments (16)
Post contains 224 words, total size 2 kb.

Oh yeah. Whenever a credible charge of Nazi sympathizing is forwarded, the best defense is and always will be "It's those scheming, crafty Jews behind it all!" That always puts such doubts immediately to camp rest.

Nice little "Revolution" you've got there, Paul.

Oh, I mean Doctor Paul.

Herr Doktor Paul.

Posted by: Ace at 09:24 PM | Comments (12)
Post contains 73 words, total size 1 kb.

Why I hear it mentioned repeatedly it's a female lobbyist he showed favoritsm towards, I don't know. I also don't know why that article omits refernces to the lobbyist's gender (such as a her).

He denies he did any favors for her.

I have no idea what the NYT is cooking up and, whether McCain's a preening dick or not, the fact remains the NYT will oversell and overhype any supposed "scandal" -- or alleged scandal -- involving a Republican. Even McCain, now that he threatens not George Bush nor Mitch McConnell but Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Whatever the allegation is, McCain says it's untrue. That "I question the timing" thing is a crappy defense, though. Either it's true or it's not; make your stand on that.

Sen. John McCain, rising in the polls as a Republican presidential candidate, defended his integrity Thursday, declaring he had "never done any favors for anybody - lobbyist or special interest group."

McCain made the remark to reporters in Detroit when questioned about a report that The New York Times was investigating allegations of legislative favoritism by the Arizona Republican.

McCain acknowledged that his presidential campaign aides have had discussions with the newspaper regarding its inquiries.

"I have not been in talks with The New York Times. They've been communicating with our staff and with us," McCain said. "I've never done any favors for anybody - lobbyist or special interest group - that's a clear, 24-year record."

...

McCain questioned the timing of the allegations and compared them to criticism and false gossip he confronted in 2000 when he first ran for the presidency.

"I do find the timing of this whole issue very interesting," McCain said. "And we're not going to stand for what happened to us in 2000. We're getting close to the primary. These allegations are coming out at a very interesting time, and I have never, ever done a favor for any lobbyist or special interest group."

McCain has retained Washington lawyer Bob Bennett to help him respond to allegations against him.

What little is known about the supposed scandal is mostly from Drudge.

Posted by: Ace at 09:17 PM | Comments (12)
Post contains 393 words, total size 3 kb.

On global warming alarmism:

Look, we know exactly what a scientist should do when they are convinced a catastrophe is coming and the politicians ignore them. They build a rocket and launch their son to safety.

Since no scientist has yet done this, clearly there is no catastrophe coming. -- EricJ.

It's true. I've seen that done.

Posted by: Ace at 08:47 PM | Comments (11)
Post contains 65 words, total size 1 kb.

The defense here is, I imagine, "Hey, I had no idea who this guy was, he just said he was a fan and I took a picture with him."

And yeah, I admit that's plausible. This was at the Values Voter debate in Fort Lauderdale; unless one's on the left, it wouldn't occur to one to think "Gee, I bet this Republican confab is crawling with Nazis; I'd best be on my guard."

But...

He is oddly reluctant to give up a mere $500 from the Nazi, isn't he? This is of course the same Don Black who donated the $500 to Ron Paul before, which Paul has been so intent on keeping.

I should hope to God he gives that money back, or else, no, I'm not going to believe this is all just an alarming string of coincidences any longer.

Oh, PS, Andrew Sullivan endorsed Paul the other day. Wouldn't this all just be too delicious?

Trying to be Charitable... but I'll note again that this is the guy who actively courts Truthers as supporters, appears on the talk show of psychologically warped conspiracy pornographer Alex Jones, says he just can't do anything at all if a Stormfront newsletter links to his campaign page, etc.

The fucking freak courts people like this. So yeah, I'm trying to give the benefit of the doubt here, but this is the company he keeps. Not the exclusive company, to be sure, but he doesn't mind palling around with basket-case extremists and bug-eyed malcontents on either the extreme right or extreme left.

Thanks to CJ.

Posted by: Ace at 08:23 PM | Comments (44)
Post contains 283 words, total size 2 kb.